Product Description

Encountering a certain Ethiopian who was reading from the scroll of Isaiah, Philip asked, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" The man replied, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" (Acts 8:30-31).

Who hasn't yearned for a reliable guide while exploring the scriptures — especially when lost in the bewildering landscape of the Old Testament, where there is much to wonder about?

In this commentary, Ellis T. Rasmussen ably guides us through a reading of the Old Testament. His explanations will be welcomed by those taking a tentative first step into the ancient writings. But they will also be welcomed by more seasoned travelers — those already familiar with the terrain — who seek added meaning, deeper insights, and broader applications in their study of the Old Testament.

Based on the text of the King James Version of the Bible, the commentary uses the extensive footnotes, Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, and other study aids found in the Latter-day Saint edition of the Bible.

Rasmussen's commentary integrates and reflects both his scholarship and his testimony. While exploring the historical and cultural settings of the Old Testament, he reminds us constantly of the spiritual underpinnings and purpose of the sacred text.

A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament is a book to be treasured by anyone seeking to better understand God's dealings with his children.

About the Author

Ellis T. Rasmussen is dean emeritus of Religious Education at Brigham Young University, where he taught for thirty years. In 1957 he undertook doctoral studies in the language and literature of the Old Testament at Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and completed his Ph.D. at BYU in 1967.

A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brother Rasmussen has served as a missionary, a bishop, a high councilor, a counselor in a stake presidency, a temple ordinance worker, and a patriarch.

He and his wife, Oda Fonnesbeck Rasmussen, are the parents of five children.